Mate by Fate, Bound by Love

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*Ethan’s POV*

I tried to convince Sophia to get some rest, but she refused, insisting she wouldn’t rest until we found Lena.

“I want to find Lena as badly as you do, but I can’t do that if you’re about to collapse,” I said.

“I’m stronger than you can ever imagine,” she retorted.

No doubt my sister is strong, but right now, she looked like she might drop dead any moment. I tried my best to persuade her, but she remained adamant.

After a while, my Beta returned with my former beta.

“Greetings, my lord. It’s an honor and a privilege to stand before you once more, ready to serve,” he said, kneeling.

I looked at him. He was unkempt, clearly not faring well wherever he’d been. He resembled an abandoned lone wolf, and I felt a pang of pity. Before becoming my Beta, he was my friend. We had shared many secrets, which made his betrayal all the more painful. I knew it wasn’t entirely his fault; Lauren might have blackmailed him or left him no choice. Knowing Lauren, she’d do anything to get what she wanted.

“You may rise,” I said.

“How may I be of service, my lord? I promise to serve you well this time,” he said eagerly.

“Don’t be so hasty. I just need you to check something for me,” I replied.

The spark of hope in his eyes dimmed. He’d probably thought I’d forgiven him and was ready to accept him back. Even if I had forgiven him, I couldn’t take him back he’d only bring back memories of Lauren that I wanted to destroy.

“What could that be, my lord?” he asked.

“Do you know anyone by the name Adrian?”

“Adrian?” he repeated.

“Yes, Adrian,” Sophia interjected.

“Sophia, please stay out of this. I can handle it. Just rest that’s all you need to do right now.”

“I told you, Ethan, I won’t rest until we find Lena. I can see that your happiness lies with her. Plus, if I’m to have any hope of getting better, we have to find Lena.”

My sister, stubborn as ever, never relented or backed down. I couldn’t believe that after so many years, she still clung to this adamant behavior. Then again, this very trait had kept her alive for centuries.

“Please, search your memory well. Try to remember if you know anyone by that name,” she pressed, ignoring my plea for her to rest.

My former Beta seemed deep in thought, rifling through his memories. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke.

“Yes, I do remember someone named Adrian,” he said.

Of course he would remember. It was one of the reasons I’d kept him by my side as my Beta. There were many Beta wolves in the pack, some stronger than he was, but I chose him for his retentive memory and strategic mind.

“Go on,” Sophia urged.

“Adrian was the alpha of an enemy pack we fought long ago. He was a formidable opponent, if I may say so. I vividly remember how you, my lord, and this Adrian fought for a very long time. His pack was equally formidable.”

“What happened during the battle?” I asked. I had fought so many battles since becoming alpha that I couldn’t remember most of them, but I knew I’d hardly ever lost. Or so I thought. What I heard next shocked me.

“You, my lord, ended up surrendering to this opponent,” he said.

“What did you just say?” I asked, incredulous at the idea that I, Alpha Ethan, had surrendered to an enemy.

“Yes, my lord. You surrendered. You had both fought for so long that neither was ready to give up, but our pack members were gravely injured. We would have been wiped out completely if you hadn’t surrendered.”

The memory of that battle began to resurface. It had taken a great toll on me; I’d never met an opponent like him before. He was highly skilled in combat, his wolf strong and unrelenting. I had been badly injured, and when I looked at my pack members, I knew they wouldn’t make it. I decided to surrender for their sake.

As much as I would have preferred dying in battle to giving up, I couldn’t risk my pack members dying as well. As Alphas, our pack is our top priority we must save and guide them first, thinking of their wellbeing before our own.

“I remember that battle now,” I said, my voice heavy with the weight of the memory. “It took a lot from us, and now it seems this same person has one of our own, holding her captive.”

“Who is this person, my lord?” he asked.

“My rejected mate,” I replied.

“So, what are we going to do now?” Elliot, my current beta, asked.

“The Moon Goddess has created an opportunity for us to avenge our fallen brothers, regain our pride as a Pack, and bring back our own.”

“How can we be sure she’s still alive?” Elliot questioned.

“I have a strong feeling she is,” I said firmly.

Sophia added, “The letter says she’s pregnant with the Alpha’s child. According to it, this Adrian loves the child and wouldn’t do anything to hurt it. So I believe she’s still alive as well. We just have to act fast before he changes his mind or someone kills her.”

“Gather all our strongest warriors, male and female, including those trained as assassins. Get two of our best trackers so we can sniff out Lena’s exact location,” I commanded.

“Yes, my lord.”

“One more thing,” I added, stopping him. “Let them know it’s a fight to the death. We’re not surrendering to anyone this time.”

“Please, my lord, allow me to join this fight,” my former beta pleaded. He was a good fighter, and I knew I’d need a strategist too.

I nodded, agreeing to his request. The battle ahead would require all the strength and cunning we could muster.